Teamster members from Oklahoma, and parts of Texas, Arkansas and Missouri will have the opportunity to train to become instructors in a transportation security program sponsored by the Transportation Security Administration on April 18
. The First Observer Program, as it's called, was established to increase the number of professional eyes and ears in the national transportation system to protect our nation's critical infrastructure.

The Teamsters Union is part of a consortium of partners that have taken on the challenge of training as many people as possible in the program to increase the nation's protection from potential terrorist attacks.

Oklahoma City was chosen as a central location for the training to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred Murrah federal building.

After the training, the participants will tour the memorial museum in Oklahoma City, place tributes at the memorial and then hold a separate training for approximately 300 members of the Oklahoma City community. The Teamsters will also make a commitment to train 1 million First Observers by Sept. 11, 2011.

The training will be held Sunday, April 18, at 10 a.m. at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Oklahoma City.

For more information, visit www.teamster.org.